Living

What would you do if you knew your life is about to end? For the terminally ill Mr. Williams, a civil servant in London in the early 1950s, it's not an exercise in thought but reality. With death staring him in the face, the embittered widower searches for a way to leave more behind than just paperwork. Film Fest Gent welcomes back director Oliver Hermanus after the gripping dramas Skoonheid (FFG2011) and Moffie (FFG2020). With Living, a British remake of Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru (1952), The South African filmmaker continues his studies of male protagonists and their repressed feelings. To be measure up to that Japanese masterpiece, Hermanus can count on a refined screenplay by Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day) and a graceful performance by actor Bill Nighy in the leading role. A worthy remake that will most certainly move you/

“A moving elegy on the value of life based on one of the best films ever made, Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru. (…) Ishiguro’s script is a beauty, but it’s the manner in which Bill Nighy conveys its subtle beats that elevates Living. (…) It’s career-best work from a phenomenal actor.” - RogerEbert.com